We need art.
I was speaking to a friend yesterday about how much this virus has impacted bands and the way we interview them. Because we are all trapped in this endless loop of a quarantine, what else is there to talk about? Sure, there are new albums being released. But with tours being put on hold until next year, it seems like music in general has simply stopped; just completely dead in its tracks.
But it’s not just music. Broadway announced all theaters would be closing for the rest of this year. Movie release dates are being pushed back. Books and comic books are halting their release dates. In other words, many jobs are lost. But not that A campaign was launched by Lzzy Hale of Halestorm to support road crews and many incredible behind-the-scenes heroes who are currently out of a job. Many actors have also taken out of pocket expenses to help their teams as well.
It is quite amazing, how a tiny little virus has managed to put the entire entertainment industry out to dry, and I’m not quite sure what to make of it. Here’s what I do know, though. 100 years ago, arts was a booming franchise. Jazz was booming. An underground sound became all the rage thanks to Buddy Bolden and Louis Armstrong. And it continued to remain strong even as the Great Depression hit. When the Vietnam War came along, Jimi Hendrix and Santana gave us their guitar solos. During 9/11, leading musicians and entertainers held telethons to raise money for the families who lost something they could never get back. Music was one of the most important things that helped people get through some of their darkest moments. And it is something that can continue today.
Yes, the arts are in need, but they are also thriving more than ever. The best art really comes from times of great crisis and uncertainty. Art defines who we are and what we do in these moments, even if there are little resources to go around. To people who think arts are dying, think again. Creativity is all around us.
And it defines how we will be remembered as survivors.
~ Em
DIASH 